Austin Butler is sharing the inspiration behind his performance in Dune: Part Two!
22.02.2024 - 23:07 / variety.com
Zack Sharf Digital News Director Austin Butler‘s transformation into Elvis was widely documented last year. He spent three years researching the music icon and went fell Method actor during production, never abandoning Presley’s trademark southern drawl for months on end. For his role as the sociopathic villain Feyd-Rautha in Denis Villeneuve‘s “Dune: Part Two,” Butler toned down the Method acting considerably.
Thankfully. “I’ve definitely in the past, with ‘Elvis,’ explored living within that world for three years and that being the only thing that I think about day and night,” Butler told the Los Angeles Times. “With Feyd, I knew that that would be unhealthy for my family and friends.” “And for me!” Villeneuve added in the joint interview.
“And you. So I made a conscious decision to have a boundary,” Butler continued. “It allowed for more freedom between action and cut because I knew I was going to protect everybody else outside of the context of what we were doing.
That’s not to say that it doesn’t bleed into your life. But I knew that I wasn’t going to do anything dangerous outside of that boundary, and in a way that allowed me to go deeper, I think.” Butler’s Feyd-Rautha is the cruel and sadistic younger nephew of and heir to Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård). He emerges as a primary antagonist for Paul (Timothee Chalamet) in “Dune: Part Two.” Villeneuve said working with Butler was “tremendously playful,” which means Butler surely wasn’t in full Method actor mode on set.
“When the camera was on, it was like you were possessed. When the camera was off, you were still maybe 25 or 30% Feyd,” the director added. “Just enough to still be present and focus but removed enough that you didn’t kill anybody on
.Austin Butler is sharing the inspiration behind his performance in Dune: Part Two!
Dune: Part Two has become one of the defining blockbusters of 2024, but not all the attention has been around the film itself.Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the sequel picks up as Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unites with the Fremen people on Arrakis to wage war against House Harkonnen.Along with Chalamet, the film stars Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Javier Bardem and Austin Butler.Dune: Part Two managed to earn $200million at the worldwide box office within its first week, making it the highest-grossing film of the year so far.Sandworm
Austin Butler has revealed to NME that he drew inspiration from Gary Oldman and Heath Ledger for his performance in Dune: Part Two.Butler plays the role of Feyd-Rautha, the villainous nephew of and heir to Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), in Denis Villeneuve’s new film.When asked if there were any classic movie bad guys that he took a lead from while preparing to play the role, Butler said that it was the broad career work of the two stars that motivates him.“I’ve always been inspired by Gary Oldman in many of his roles,” he said. “Léon: The Professional, or True Romance, or The Fifth Element.”“And you know, we’ve talked about Heath Ledger a lot, the sense of play that he had.
If Timothée Chalamet‘s dream comes true, he’ll reunite with “Dune: Part Two” co-star Austin Butler for “A Complete Unknown.” NME reports that in a joint interview with the actors for Denis Villeneuve‘s new sequel, Chalamet stated he’d love to see his Bob Dylan somehow bump into Butler’s Elvis Presley from Baz Luhrmann‘s 2022 biopic cameo in James Mangold‘s upcoming film.
Michaela Zee Timothée Chalamet is ready to be a part of the MCU: the “musical cinematic universe.” In a recent interview with NME while promoting “Dune: Part Two,” Chalamet said he wants Austin Butler‘s Elvis Presley to appear in his and James Mangold’s upcoming Bob Dylan film, “A Complete Unknown.” “I can’t wait for that film,” Butler said of the Dylan project. “I wish I could be on set every day to just watch the magic happen.” “I wish you were in it!” Chalamet replied.
Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve has revealed the character that it caused him the most “pain” to leave out of the new film.Part Two concludes the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 896-page, 1965 novel, following Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen to learn the ways of the desert, wage war on the forces that destroyed his family, and fulfil his destiny as the supposed chosen one.The film also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Stellan Skarsgård and Dave Bautista.But now, Villeneuve has said that there are other actors that he feels regret for having to cut out of the film’s final edit.In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director said: “When you adapt, there’s always some kind of violence toward the original material. You have to change things, you have to bend, you have to make painful choices.”“One of the most painful choices for me on this one was Thufir Hawat,” Villeneuve said, referring to the central character Paul Atreides’ mentor, who was to be played by Stephen McKinley Henderson (Lady Bird, Lincoln).Additionally, Tim Blake Nelson (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, O Brother Where Art Thou?) had also been announced for the film, but does not appear in the final cut.Nelson recently told Movieweb: “I had a great time over there shooting it.
Zack Sharf Digital News Director “Dune: Part Two” features one of the starriest casts in recent memory. From Timothée Chalamet to Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista and more, there’s rarely a scene in the Denis Villeneuve-directed sequel that isn’t filled with star power. The cast was supposed to be even bigger, however, but the filmmaker had to make some cuts to the final edit that left at least one actor “heartbroken.” Tim Blake Nelson, a regular of the Coen Brothers thanks to films such as “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” was announced as a cast member for “Dune: Part Two” in January 2023.
Zack Sharf Digital News Director Austin Butler confirmed in an interview with Access Hollywood that his kiss with co-star Stellan Skarsgård in “Dune: Part Two” was improvised on his behalf. The kiss between Butler’s Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Skarsgård’s Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is unexpected and creepy as the characters are nephew and uncle, but it reaffirms Feyd-Rautha’s devotion to his uncle and deep desire to be him. That’s also why Butler mimicked Skarsgård’s speaking voice while crafting his own accent for Feyd-Rautha.
Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor In a stunning cinematic universe where sand dunes rise like mountains and the fate of galaxies hangs in the balance, Denis Villeneuve‘s first voyage into the Frank Herbert’s “Dune” saga clinched six of its 10 Oscar nominations. Yet, in a twist as dramatic as Dr.
Austin Butler and Timothée Chalamet have opened up about their obsessions with Radiohead and The Beatles.The two Dune co-stars sat down with NME to discuss Dune: Part 2. The actors were asked if there were any current albums that they were currently obsessed with at the moment to which Butler replied with Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’ and Chalamet with The Beatles’ 2023 reissue of the ‘Blue’ album.“It’s an old faithful that I have listened to more than any other album. But ‘In Rainbows’ by Radiohead.
Denis Villeneuve’s stunningly realized film adaptations of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi saga Dune take an epic leap forward in Dune: Part Two, the sequel to the Oscar-winning first film starring Timothée Chalamet as possible Chosen One, Paul Atreides.Last seen at the end of Dune trekking into the desert like a twink Lawrence of Arabia, Paul is still a refugee on the desert planet Arrakis. Following the massacre of his father and the House of Atreides by savage Harkonnen forces, he’s hiding among the native Fremen, plotting to avenge his House, while also evading death or capture by his clan’s universe of enemies, including ruler of all, Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken).The first film felt mostly like a long-winded setup for a protagonist who took little action.
Jordan Moreau It’s finally time to return to Arrakis. Denis Villeneuve‘s “Dune: Part Two” has arrived, making a mighty $12 million in previews at the box office from more than 3,400 theaters. Big-screen Imax showings made up $4.5 million of that huge haul.
Dune: Part Two adapts the second half of Frank Herbert’s original 1965 novel, but the film makes some key changes from the book.Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the sequel to 2021’s Dune picks up as Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unites with the Fremen people on Arrakis to wage war against House Harkonnen.Along with Chalamet, Dune: Part Two stars Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Zendaya, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh.After being accepted as the Lisan al Gaib (an off-world prophet or messiah) of the Fremen, Paul Atreides leads them on an attack against Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken) and House Harkonnen. Through the Fremen’s faith in Paul, and by riding the sandworms, they manage to invade the capital city, Arrakeen.To avenge his father’s death, Paul kills Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård).
Dune: Part Two may have wrapped up events of Frank Herbert’s original novel, but there’s still plenty of material for more potential sequels.Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the sequel to 2021’s Dune picks up as Paul Atreides unites with the Fremen people on Arrakis to wage war against House Harkonnen.Along with Timothée Chalamet, Dune: Part Two stars Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh.The sequel adapts the second half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, which has been adapted for the screen several times over the years.At the time of writing (March 2024), a sequel has not been officially announced. Judging by how successful both entries have been at the box office, however, it’s certainly likely that Warner Bros.
Michaela Zee When “Dune: Part Two” star Stellan Skarsgård saw Austin Butler as the cruel and sadistic Feyd-Rautha for the first time, he laughed. “I laughed so much because it was so obvious that he really enjoyed being evil,” Skarsgård told Variety at the “Dune: Part Two” premiere Sunday night in New York City. Butler’s Feyd-Rautha is the younger nephew and heir of Skarsgård’s Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, who originally appeared in Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 sci-fi epic “Dune.” Butler studied Skarsgård’s voice performance in the first chapter to bring his version of Feyd-Rautha to life.
Austin Butler‘s breakout came from a Method acting performance for the ages in Baz Luhrmann‘s “Elvis,” with the actor living in the role on camera and off for about three years. But Butler wasn’t about to do that for Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in “Dune: Part Two“.
“Dune: Part Two,” which hits theaters March 1.“I’ve definitely in the past, with ‘Elvis,’ explored living within that world for three years and that being the only thing that I think about day and night,” Butler told the Los Angeles Times in an interview with the movie’s director, Denis Villeneuve.“With Feyd, I knew that that would be unhealthy for my family and friends.”Butler was so immersed in playing Elvis Presley in “Elvis” that, for a long time after finishing his role on the movie, he still spoke in Presley’s Southern drawl.Villeneuve joked that, if Butler absorbed himself as much in Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen as he did with Presley, it would also be unhealthy for the director.“So I made a conscious decision to have a boundary,” Butler said. “It allowed for more freedom between action and cut because I knew I was going to protect everybody else outside of the context of what we were doing.“That’s not to say that it doesn’t bleed into your life,” he said.
Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet and Austin Butler are taking their high-profile, high-fashion promo tour for Dune: Part Two on the road!
Immense, remarkably captivating, imposing, and right on the edge of overblown, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” is a spectacular blockbuster epic in the grandest sense of the tradition. Picking up where ‘Part One’ left off, this darker, bleaker, moodier sequel is a grand war movie but also a devastating cautionary tale about messiahs, idolatry, and the dangers of false gods.
Zack Sharf Digital News Director Austin Butler was hospitalized after he wrapped filming on Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” and it appears it was something of a miracle he avoided a similar fate on the set of Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two.” The Oscar nominee joins the epic franchise as Feyd-Rautha, the cruel and sadistic younger nephew of and heir to Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård). Butler told Entertainment Weekly that heat stroke impacted several people on set during his first week of shooting. How’s that for a welcome? “It was 110 degrees and so hot,” Butler said.